Popularity versus quality

Amazon can tell you what rank a book has among its sales.  The book "Bestsellers: A Short Introduction" discusses best-seller lists, their history and impact.  In this time of election jockeying, popularity among voters, readers, fans, etc. is a subject that gets attention.

A few years back, we spent a week in a cabin beside the upstate Finger Lake of New York called "Cayuga"  At the southern end of the lake is the town of Ithaca, home of Cornell University and the world famous Moosewood Restaurant, home ground of Mollie Katzen.  Katzen is the author of "The Moosewood Cookbook" and "The Enchanted Broccoli Forest".  Also, co-author with the well-known nutritionist, Dr. Walter Willett, chair of Harvard's Nutrition Department of the book "Eat, Drink and Weigh Less".  Visiting the Moosewood Restaurant made clear to me what I had read before: anyone can turn on an oven and produce a delicious roast.  But if you want real flavor and variety, you have to have fresh vegetables and you have to know and use seasonings.  We knew about Mollie Katzen's restaurant before going to Ithaca and we didn't realize that was the location.  When we saw the restaurant, we knew we had struck gold.

Still after a couple of truly excellent meals there, we wanted alternatives.  There are many in that college town but somehow driving through nearby Trumansburg, we noticed the Hazelnut Kitchen.  We tried it and were blown away.  Truly wonderful and then some!  We had not heard of Trumansburg or the Hazelnet Kitchen but we remember it and how truly excellent it was.

So, once again, popularity can be a guide to high quality or high quality can be tucked away on the side or in the back.  Maybe I'll be lucky enough to come across it.

Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety